Oakwood Schools is proud to announce the grand opening of the Rick and Jane Schwartz Performing Arts Wing at Oakwood Junior and Senior High School. This significant addition marks the commencement of Oakwood Schools Foundation’s Phase I of the Flourish Campaign, a bold fundraising initiative dedicated to fostering excellence in arts education for the Oakwood community. 

Community members, donors, parents, students and district officials gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday to mark the official opening of the $7.2 million facility, 

"Today, we stand at the threshold of a new era for arts education in Oakwood, made possible by the generosity of our community and the vision of Rick and Jane Schwartz,” said Superintendent Dr. Neil Gupta. “This Performing Arts Wing is a testament to the values we hold dear in Oakwood – a commitment to excellence, a dedication to nurturing talent, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every student. It is a space where creativity will be cultivated, dreams will take flight, and the arts will continue to weave the fabric of our vibrant community.”

The new addition creates 8,800 square feet of student space, including three classrooms for band, choir and orchestra, two practice rooms, three storage rooms, and two faculty offices. This facility delivered not only much-needed space for the arts, but also state-of-the-art acoustics.

"As a member of the choir and a cappella group, and as an Oakwood student in general, Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz have invested in my education and future without ever having met me before,” student and senior class president Wright Chen said. “This unique generosity, which I believe emanates throughout Oakwood, is what makes our community so special."

The Schwartzes toured the building with community members for the first time after the ribbon-cutting, admiring the new spaces already buzzing with performances by our orchestra, band and choir students.

“Jane and I believe this great new facility will have an everlasting impact,” Rick Schwartz said. “It’s our hope and dream that what happens inside this space will inspire Oakwood students to a lifelong love of the arts. We know that love will be life-changing, life-nourishing and life-affirming.”

“We extend our deepest gratitude to Rick and Jane Schwartz, the community, and all contributors who have made this vision a reality,” closed Gupta. “This opening marks not just the unveiling of a facility but the beginning of a new chapter in the arts at Oakwood, where every student's potential can be realized and celebrated.”

A formal donor recognition ceremony is scheduled for April 6th.